The artificial surface at Kirksville’s Spainhower Field should be complete in plenty of time for the first high school football game Aug. 24, though it may miss Friday’s contractual deadline by a day or two.

Kirksville R-III Director of Transportation and Activities Jeff Mikel said Wednesday that crews were delayed in some of the final prep work by Monday’s light rain, but on Wednesday had started to spread the rubber in-fill. Mikel was told the process – the final in the artificial turf installation – would last 3-4 days.

“I’m optimistic the field will be done Friday or Saturday,” Mikel said. “I’m not sure if they will meet the Friday deadline.”

If the St. Louis-based company Byrne and Jones misses that mark, it will be assessed a $500 per day penalty until the project is complete.

Even if it misses the deadline, Mikel said the field will “be fine” for the Kirksville football team’s home opener Aug. 24. The bleacher project is complete, while minor “miscellaneous” items remain on the to-do list.

That’s welcome news to the Kirksville football team, which is anxious to get some workouts in on their new home turf.

“It’s going to take a little bit for us to get used to it,” head coach Jeff Jacques said. “Our boys are excited about it, we’ve played on turf before. We’re just ready to get going.”